Jack Kerouac Alley

This tiny paved pedestrian alley was named after the famous Beat Generation writer Jack Kerouac who used to hang out in the alley a lot. It was intended to form a literary (and actual) connection between the communities of Chinatown and North Beach. There are plaques embedded into the street which are engraved with Chinese and Western poems from Kerouac, Confucius and John Steinbeck among others. The alley continues across Columbus to become William Saroyan Alley, named after another famous writer who lived in the city, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and an Academy Award.

• history
• outdoors

Address

Jack Kerouac Alley

Getting there

at Columbus Ave and Broadway St

Website

thewanderfulltraveler.com (opens in a new tab)